Spherical joint



F. FAUDI SPHERICAL JOINT mung-51 11 25, 1924 Dec. 30,1924.

fnveizlor 774T ucZL' Patented Dect 30 ,i 19245;

' rammar JOINT. I

Application and April 25, 1924. :S eriat:

To all whom it may concern: j Be it known that I, FRITZ FALDI, a.citizen ofthe German Republic, and residing .following is aspecification.

at Dusseldorf-Oberkassel, Germany, have invented certain new and usefullmproveg ments in Spherical Joints {for which I have filed vapplicationin Germany October 7,

1922, and January 12, 1923), of which the My invention relates toimprovements in spherical joints; and more particularly in joints of thetype in which one of the memers to be connected is provided with acylindrical socket havin'ga pair of bushings fitted therein, whichbushlngs provide a seat for the spherical head of the other member. Oneof the objects of the improve mentsis to provide a joint of thisclass'in which exact I coaxial. position of the -said bushings isinsuredl' Another ob ect 1s to provide for improved lubrication of thether, "the spherical .memberfitted in the joint, an

bushings is formed with a socket communi eating with a receptaclecontaining a lubri-- eating medium and providing. a container for thelubricating medium.

For the purpose of explaining the inven tion an example embodying thesame has been shown in'the accompanying drawing 1 in which thesamereference characters have been used in all the views to indicatecorresponding parts. In said drawing,

part of the -chassis of a vehicle in which the steering (gear isprovided with'my improved Fig. 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scaleand partly in section showing the improved joint.

Theimportance of my improved joint is particularly conspicuous in gearsprovided in motor vehicles, and I shalldescribe the same'in, connectionwith the steering-gear of an automobile. But-I" wish it to beunder'stoodf that my invention is not limited to 'thensein. automobiles.

shownin the steering gear of the'automobile comprises the usual'steeringknuckle ,q and a steering pole '1' connected with each other byanarm8,22. link t, and

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an is. known in the art, the link being connected with the arms 8 and uby my improved joint.

.As shownfin Fig. 2 'a bolt is fixed to.

the arm 5 and provided with a spherical head b. To the link If a head ais secured which is formed-with a cylindrical socket e0 having smoothwallsfand which is open "at its bottom to. permit the passage of thebolt 3 therethrough. Within the socket there are bushings c and 9 havingsmooth outer Walls, andwhich are forced into the socket by heavypressure. The bushings show spherical inner-faces providing a hearingfor the spherical. head I). .To the upper lmshing a a pin "it issecured. which engages the bushing as against rotation. At its top thesocket is provided with a screw-threaded portion '0 receiving a plug 7.In sockets 'z' of the plug there are springpressed balls d adapted forengagement with sockets e provided in the bushing c for locking the plug7 as against unscrewing. It will be in' a groove made in the head a' andlocks understood that sockets e are disposed all around the bushingtopermit exact adjustment of the plug.

By providing the socket w and the bush;

ings a and g with smooth cylindrical faces and assembling the parts bypressure in the manner described the exact coaxial position of thespherical faces of the bushings is insured. I v

The plug f is formed with an axial-opening n which is screw-threaded atits outer part for having a lubricating cup 0 'screwedl thereto. Thehead 6 shows an ax1al socket m medium discharged from the cup 0, forgradually supplying the said medium to the spherical bearing faces ofthe bushings and in position for receiving the lubricating the head 6.Between the bushings a and g there is a packing ring p of felt or thelike controlling the flow of the lubricating mediumto the bottom part ofthe head I) and the bushing g.- This packing ring 7) serves a threefoldpurpose: it controls the lubrication, it allows of controlling thecontact ressure between the spherical head an the bushings, and it isused for compensating the wear of these parts. 4

In the operation of the joint the socket n is filled-with thelubricatingmedium"whieh is gradually transmitted by the oscillation of "the jointto the bearing faces of the head 6, and the bushing 0. By means of thepackving ring p the lubricating'medium is gradually transmitted to thebottom part of the head I) and the bushing g, and any waste oflubricating medium is avoided. The socket m provides a storage chamberfor the lubricating medium which insures lubrication of the joint for ,acertain length of time after the cup 0 has been exhausted. 2

While in describing the invention reference has been made to aparticular example embodying the same I wish it to be understood that myinvention is not limited to the construction shown in the drawing, andthat various changes may be made. in the general arrangement of thejoint and the construction of its parts without departing from theinvention.

I claim Y o 1. A ball and socket joint of tile type set forth,comprising in combination witlfa-machinepart, a spherical pivot fixedtosaid machine part and presentingin its top portion alubricant'chamber, a second machine part presenting a chambered head,twp bushings in complemental;disposition in said head chamber forjournaling between them said spherical head, means for preventingrelative rotary displacement between the upper bushingand said head,resilient packing and spacing means interposed between said twobushings, an axially perforated closure cap for-said headchamberscrewing into said second machine part, and said cap and saidpacking and spaclngmeansjointly serving for securing-said bushings 1ntheir proper means interposed between saidupper bushing and sa1d capforpreventing unintentional loosening of the latter.

' 2. In a ball and socket joint according to claim 1,. spring-influencedball and cup means interposed in interspaced annular arrangement betweensaid upper bushing and said cap, for preventing the latter from becomingunintentionally unscrewed.

In testimony whereof I aflix'my signature.

' FRITZ FAUDI.

